Monday, June 30, 2008

6. London Museums...

So an entire course could be done focusing just on the incredible scope of London's museums. They're literally everywhere, covering everything from clocks to ancient Egyptian artifacts.

A few must dos:

1) The British Museum -- The most ancient Egyptian artifacts gathered in one place outside of Egypt. Also holds the Magna Carta, Greek antiquities and other amazing "stuff" from around the globe. A fantastic place to check out if you're into history.

2) Victoria & Albert Museum -- Literally right around the corner from Imperial College. The whole area is known as "Albertopolis" because it was the prince consort who dreamed up an area in London focused on learning and knowledge. The Natural History & Science museum are right nearby as well. The V&A is dedicated to design, and the decorative arts. Want to see dresses and clothing through the ages? This is the place for you.

3) Museum of London -- Documents the history of the capital from prehistoric times until now. It overlooks part of the old city wall that surrounded London in Roman times. A really cool look at all that London was, and is.

4) The Tate Modern -- super cool art in a super cool building. Once an old power plant, the Tate Modern is a fantastic modern structure that holds some incredible art. It features work from Monet, Matisse, Picasso, and Andy Warhol. A very cool museum to take a look at.

5) The Cabinet War Rooms -- the World War II ere war rooms were used when The Luftwaffe would bomb London during World War II. I'm a World War II buff, and this is one of my favorites in London.

There are so many other museums in London as well. These are just five of my favorites. This website gives a good list of some of the lesser known London museums. This site is a more "mainstream" look at London's museums. Everyone has their favorites, hopefully you'll find yours. And really, that's the coolest thing about London -- the plethora of choices.